Warhammer 40k book recommendations

Oh of course I don't think there's any doubt that this isn't high-brow or high-class SF, it's blatant describe-a-person-being-blown/sawed/shot/exploded in as many colourful ways as possible, intermixed with some ripped-off plots and occasional original content :p

If you haven't read the Heresy series then do so! If you are a fan (closet or otherwise) of the W40K mythology - it's doing a quite magnificent job of filling in the gaps that were only hinted at here and there over the vast amount of short stories and novellas and really creating a picture of how the defining event of the 40K universe came about - because of this IMO they are a class above the more 'generic' contemporary 40k stories.

I would also recommed the Eisenstein and Ravenor trilogies if you haven't read them. The Gaunts Ghosts series is also fun although it definitely loses its way in the last couple of books(enough of the damn Blood Pact already!), perhaps because Abnett's focus was turned to the Heresy books.
 
Rich_L said:
<snip..>The Gaunts Ghosts series is also fun although it definitely loses its way in the last couple of books(enough of the damn Blood Pact already!), perhaps because Abnett's focus was turned to the Heresy books.
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I own the third omnibus (The Lost) but I have never finished it, despite trying a few times. I get about halfway through the second book and it loses me. A shame as both of the first two omnibusses (omnibi??) were fantastic page turners.
 
Finished reading Mechanicum last night and i have to say i really enjoyed it. Ive got Tales of heresy on its way so im looking forward to some more space marine battles.
 
Rich_L said:
If you haven't read the Heresy series then do so! If you are a fan (closet or otherwise) of the W40K mythology - it's doing a quite magnificent job of filling in the gaps that were only hinted at here and there over the vast amount of short stories and novellas and really creating a picture of how the defining event of the 40K universe came about - because of this IMO they are a class above the more 'generic' contemporary 40k stories.
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Don't really want to - some stuff is just more interesting when it's hinted at, you know? Gives it a more distant, mythical vibe. Same as when I read the Dune prequels, stuff that were hinted at in the original novels as grand, 'epic-scale' events were a little underwhelming on the page. So I don't want my vision of the Horus Heresy to be defined in Abnet's purple prose, I'd just look at it through the mists of myth.
 
love the HH series, but have to say the first book is probably the best :p

The dark angels books annoyed me a little, and don't get me started on prospero burns...... *sigh* I hope the 3rd dark angels book brings redeems the other two. Pun intended.

Legion was excellent, as was Mechanicum.
 
I want a World Eater novel sometime in 2012. Angron is a proper headcase and I want to see just how he could possibly have served the Great Crusade in any constructive way. :D

shaank said:
love the HH series, but have to say the first book is probably the best :p

The dark angels books annoyed me a little, and don't get me started on prospero burns...... *sigh* I hope the 3rd dark angels book brings redeems the other two. Pun intended.

Legion was excellent, as was Mechanicum.
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I've been re-reading the series (again :o) lately and despite the pasting they usually get, I rather like the Dark Angel books. :eek: I must admit I'm not too clued up on 40k space marine current affairs, so I may be missing something here which annoys the fans.

Abnett's HH efforts are very perplexing. Horus Rising was excellent and got me hooked on the series, but Legion and Prospero Burns were rather uninspiring. Still as the creator of Gaunt's Ghosts, he can be forgiven...
 
Finished reading Tales Of Heresy last week, i have to say some of the short stories in there were really good. My copy of the next book arrived yesturday which is Fallen Angels. I read three chapters, so far it seems okay but its too early to tell yet. This is the first proper Dark Angels book as there other one (Descent Of Angels) wasnt really them as Dark Angels till near the end.
 
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About 110 pages left on Fallen Angels, and i have to say its turned into a very good book and made the Dark Angels sound very interesting, cant wait to see how it ends.
Ordered A Thousand Sons lastnight so hopefully by the time it arrives ill finish Fallen Angels.
 
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I finished Titanicus the other day, and would highly recommend it. Dan Abnett is still a favourite of mine, I love the detailed descriptions of the tech in the 40k universe, and the way the Titans operate, it's all really immersive stuff.
 
Rich_L said:
So...I read Prospero Burns and..I liked it!

I thought it was pretty awesome actually :cool: Really liked the insight into the Space Wolves' homeworld and background and musings on the nature of each Chapter etc.
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Shocker! :D

I just finished The First Heretic and it really go the series back on track for me. Awesome writing, and lots of good characters. Lorgar was quite different to how I'd pictured him from earlier novels.
 
The Inquisition War (Draco, Harlequin, Chaos Child) was my favourite series written about WH40k. It's so much more complex and less predictable then most of the newer books that seem to follow a formula to gaurentee a decent book.
 
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